Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

woodduck wrote:LPG is fine mate, (for soft solder obviously) I built my 4" bubbler with it no problems at all. The only time you will have a problem is with hard soldering your easy flanges but it can be done. I've bought a bigger tip which helps.

I should do a video for you blokes so you can see that it can be done. Would that be of interest to anyone?

I think that would be a fantastic idea @woodduck, it's so much easier to learn from watching it being done rather than reading about it. Hands down IMO :handgestures-thumbupleft: :romance-kisscheek:

See how i go today, I might have time this arvo to do a quick easy flange. Mmmm it will be the first for the mother duck, yay progress :handgestures-thumbupleft:

That would be awesome

Ah bit confused now people. I’ve been searching and reading about RC building. Everyone who builds a shotgun RC is a little different and use different philosophies. Originally the plan was to make my 4” RC 100mm high and pack it with 7 3/4 tubes. I’ve based this on advice Mac has given others. Now I’ve come across a couple of posts where they put 9x 3/4 pipes in. I plan on running a single 2400w element during the run, should I stick to 7x 3/4 tubes or should I consider the extra 2?

I think a lot depends how much vapor you need to knock down, and how much water you can run. More tubes equals more surface area to cool with.

More tubes means more knockdown power/more reflux but also means that it will take longer to respond to water flow changes, not sure how much longer, someone else might know that. It can also make it a little harder to build with all the pipes in there, with the heating and solder and whatnot. Not trying to talk you out of it, this is just what I've heard around the place.

Just for intrest sake mine is 80mm high with 5x 3/4" tubes with a baffle plate in the middle and mine can hold 2800w in full reflux. Here's a link to mine if you want to see it
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=6709&start=60#p118051

I’m planning on using a needle valve for control of water flow with the water coming from the garden hose. 50l keg with 2x2400w (no controller to start with) for heat up then drop to single element during run. But that’s all therory as only just started building.

Woodduck, do you have a picture of your baffle setup? This is only the second time I’ve heard of a baffle to disturb water flow. I’m interested to see and hear how a baffle helps efficiency. I was going to have I let on one side of my RC and outlet on opposite side to give a somewhat even water flow across all tubes.

There's photos in the link in my last post.

I work on the theory that the water is forced to go past the tubes twice befor leaving the rc. Water will take the path of least resistance. If both your inlet and out let are on the same side there is less chance of it flowing right over the other side before coming back, make sence? If you have your inlet on one side and outlet on the other side the water has to travel across the rc past the tubes to get out so in my mind it would be more effective? With my baffle plate the water has to travel right to the other side to go up and go right back across the rc to get out hence more water past more tubes. Just my theory and I'm not 100% sure how much more efficient it is or if it is because I've never run any other rc. It may be bugga all for all i know.

A needle valve will alow for finer adjustments to get product output spot on but won't help speed up the temp change in the rc to let more or less vapor pass through it.

The longer the RC the longer it will take to respond to changes, but the more vapour it will be able to knock down.

Shorter RCs are fine but they wont be able to hold back as much power.
Shorter RCs respond quickly but you need to think more about water flow to ensure you make the water travel the longest way through it.
There are 2 ways to use an RC.
Either adjust the water flow to let vapour passed or use more power to push past the RC.
Shorter ones are better for a power managed still.

I have made a short RC and used a baffle, my inlet and outlet are on the same side.
I have also capped and cross drilled my inlet tubes so that water is pushed sideways once it enters the RC and creates more turbulant flow.
Short RCs are generally used with the water running flat out, where longer ones will use a trickle.

Mmmm very interesting thanks fellas.

Going to hold up a little and do some more reading and check out more builds.

I’m in Albany WA so water temp out of the hose is usually 10-15C year round. It’s just a matter of making my decision. At the end of the day, I could make 2 and see which works better I suppose (have the materials).

Need to read read read.

I would also look into a recirculation system for your water. You can use a bit during a run plus if the wife is doing the washing it will mess with your still and drive you nuts :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: the 2 x 2400w elements. I run 1 x 3000w, takes me 45 mins to heat up. For the extra power (and probably 10 minutes saving) you might want to consider just 1 element? I reckon your blockhead might be a little bit too short too, this will limit the size of your botanicals basket - if you're planing on using one that is.

Hey woody do you find your rc super responsive? I like the design I may have to pinch that baffle idea :teasing-neener: What does the baffle give that you don't get from adjusting the needle valve? Just a longer water path?

My rc responce time would be a minute maybe a bit more, don't really remember as I now run power management most of the time. I leave my rc flat out and push past it with the voltage controller. Around 3200w (180volts on a 3600w element, someone will do the maths :laughing-rolling: ) is my guess at 2.5lph.

I think the needle valve is a separate issue to responce time. The needle valve will help you get small changes in out put but won't change responce time. I just used a gate valve when I used the rc and found it fine, all the way off then crack it 1/4 turn and a bit of a fiddle a minute or two later to get it just right. I am slightly rough though. :laughing-rolling:

Thanks everyone for your input, the ol cogs are turning upstairs. You all have given me some really valid information, thank you kindly.

Here in Albany we’ve had an absolutely stunning day, picnic, bikes, beach & ice cream. Kids had a ball. Still found 1/2 hour to knock out a couple more little jobs.

I did cut som 4” discs for my RC and a spare In case I put a baffle in my RC. Used a hole saw, and it’s probably the last time I do that, first one came out rough, next one not so rough, third one, well on par with the second. Still, they fit pretty snuggley in the pipe after a bit of attention with a file. Only tried to twist my wrist off about a dozen times when the hole saw would grab. I’ve got bruises on my leg where the battery of the drill kept sacking into me when the hole saw grabbed. I’m so glad I screwed the plate down as I would be in hospital now with half my leg cut off. Still the kids watching through my sons bedroom window thought watching me battling was hilarious.









I then tec screwed a stainless pot scourer to a length of 3/8 pipe I had kicking around, loaded it up into the drill and started cleaning up the inside of the block head. Probably a pointless exercise as I still need to fit my easy flanges and cut & solder in the 2” outlet. But it sure does look awesome. Huge difference to the streaky black insides that it came with.

Nice work mate she's well on the way,used ta live in Albany some years ago Yakimia and Mt clarence,and had some great days down at Middleton beach and emu point,the water out of the tap was cool but had a certain taste that I am not sure I would be super happy useing for good fermentations,as I was not stilling in those days.cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yeah that odd taste is the prisoner piss. All the pumping wells for the town water supply are all around the prison, on the sand flats behind the dunes. So we suffer a lot with calcium and iron in the water. Doesn’t help having an overcrowded prison, that’s not connected to town sewage, right in the middle of the towns water supply field.

We’ve got filters on the house water and for starters that’ll do for beginners. Once I move away from basic sugar mashes to AG and molasses mashes then I’m going to have to think about what water I’m going to use. As our shed is going to be rebuilt soon, I’m going to put a water tank off it and if I can keep the roof & gutters clean enough may use that when I progress to finer spirits.

woodduck wrote:See how i go today, I might have time this arvo to do a quick easy flange. Mmmm it will be the first for the mother duck, yay progress :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I ended up finding a few minutes so here is how I do mine, hope it helps :handgestures-thumbupleft:

https://youtu.be/6DeVQz4WThc

Your a CHAMPION Woodduck, thanks for the great video, you’ll be off to Hollywood soon

Nice progress A&O, don't forget to drill the water inlet and outlet holes before putting your RC together.